The 3 Things to Buy Before LASIK Surgery

Three things, in one order — LASIK recovery is short, and so is this list.

By VerifiedCareData · How we check. Last checked .

Medicare has excluded LASIK from coverage since 1997 — twice over, once as a substitute for glasses and once as cosmetic surgery — but the IRS names it by name as a deductible expense, which is exactly what makes it FSA- and HSA-eligible. What you actually need to buy afterward is short: three things, chosen from FDA's own patient guidance and two hospital sources, cover almost the whole list. Today all three come to about $75 on Amazon. Order today if surgery's close, since most items arrive within a few days.

Every pick here was checked against FDA's dedicated LASIK patient pages, Cleveland Clinic and UVA Ophthalmology discharge instructions, and FDA recall records — how we choose →

The 3 essentials

REFRESH OPTIVE Preservative-Free Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops, 0.01 fl oz (0.4 mL), 60 Single-Use Containers

Because dry eye is the single most common thing that happens after LASIK.

The artificial tears

REFRESH OPTIVE Preservative-Free Artificial Tears (60 Single-Use Vials)

Single-use, preservative-free vials — no bottle to reuse, no preservative to build up over weeks of daily drops.

  • FDA's own LASIK page: "You may also be advised to use artificial tears to help lubricate the eye."
  • Cleveland Clinic calls dry eye "the most common issue" after LASIK — rare cases last up to a year.
  • 60 individually sealed single-use vials, 0.01 fl oz each.

How we chose it: We compared only two preservative-free tears, so this isn't a big-field comparison. The reason for the single-use format is a real 2023 FDA Class I recall: EzriCare and Delsam Pharma artificial tears (400,008 bottles, contaminated in a reused multi-use bottle) were tied by the CDC to 55 infections in 12 states and one death. A single-use vial can't be recontaminated the way a shared bottle can — though it isn't zero-risk either: Alcon's Systane preservative-free vials had a separate Class I recall of their own in 2024 (full record below).

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): Preservative-free single-use vials cost more per drop than a multi-use bottle — you're paying for the format the 2023 outbreak makes a real argument for, not for different drops.

See the REFRESH OPTIVE Preservative-Free Artificial Tears (60 Single-Use Vials) on Amazon →

Also good for less: smaller 50-vial box, same brand family ($17.79) →

See the full artificial-tears comparison →

Post-LASIK Eye Shields: Comfortable Protective Sleeping Eye Shield Goggles

Because no stitches hold your corneal flap in place — FDA says a shield is what stops you from rubbing it in your sleep.

The sleep eye shield

Post-LASIK Eye Shield: Protective Sleeping Eye Shield Goggles

The purchasable version of what most surgical centers hand you for free the first night or two.

  • FDA, twice, independently: a shield goes on "to prevent you from rubbing your eye and putting pressure on your eye while you sleep."
  • A University of Virginia Ophthalmology patient handout: "Wear the sunglasses provided while sleeping for 1 week."
  • Cleveland Clinic gives a shorter window — "a day or two" — so treat 1–2 days to 1 week as the range and ask your surgeon which applies to you.

How we chose it: Many surgical centers supply a shield or a pair of shatterproof sunglasses for the first night or two at no cost — the UVA handout above calls this item "the sunglasses provided." This pick is for backup, replacement, or a longer week-long window than what you were sent home with, not an assumed must-buy on top of what your surgical center already gives you.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): If your surgical center already sent you home with one, you probably don't need to buy a second — check your discharge bag first.

See the Post-LASIK Eye Shield: Protective Sleeping Eye Shield Goggles on Amazon →

See the full eye-shield comparison →

iSafety Polarized Wraparound Recovery Sunglasses, UV400, Fits Over Glasses

Because glare, halos, and starbursts are named directly on FDA's own risk page as expected early side effects.

The wraparound sunglasses

iSafety Polarized Wraparound Recovery Sunglasses

Wraparound, not just tinted — the shape is what keeps light from sneaking in around the frames.

  • FDA's risk page lists light sensitivity, glare, halos, and starbursts as expected — and says night driving might be difficult.
  • AAO's general sunglasses guidance: wraparound styles "protect your eyes from all angles"; look for lenses that block 99–100% of UV light.
  • Marketed for cataract-surgery recovery and light sensitivity, not LASIK by name. The need after LASIK is the same: wraparound shape, full UV block, less glare.

How we chose it: We looked at only one wraparound-sunglasses pick, so there is no field to compare. What we confirmed: UV400 (100% UV-blocking, matching AAO's own floor) and a real fit-over wraparound shape, not just dark lenses in a normal frame.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): Fit-over style, made to go on over your regular glasses — if you don't wear glasses day to day, it may sit looser than a standard sunglasses frame.

See the iSafety Polarized Wraparound Recovery Sunglasses on Amazon →

See the full wraparound sunglasses page →

Recovery tip: FDA's own pre-surgery checklist asks a blunt question: "Be prepared to take drops/medications — are you willing and able to put drops in your eyes at regular intervals?" If you already know you struggle with eye drops, say so before surgery day, not after — your surgeon may have options.

Depends on your situation

One optional buy, plus a real restriction we couldn't find a product for — not everyone needs either one.

One gap: UVA's handout goes further than any other source we read — "No swimming, watersports, hot tubs or Jacuzzi use for 1 week. After 1 week you must wear goggles for 8 weeks after your procedure." We did not find a post-LASIK swim-goggle product to recommend. The restriction is real and comes from a hospital, so we list it here: if you're back in the water after week one, you'll likely want swim goggles that seal well for about 8 weeks. Any well-fitting pair should work — we just don't have a specific one to recommend. See the full week-by-week timeline for the rest of the water/makeup/sport restrictions.

Borrow or skip

The recall record behind the tears pick above, plus what's prescribed instead of bought, and what to simply pause.

The recall record

FDA's 2023 Class I recall of EzriCare and Delsam Pharma artificial tears — its most serious recall classification — was linked by the CDC to 55 infections in 12 states and one death. Three more Class I lubricant-eye-drop recalls, including CVS Health and Alcon Systane products, followed within the next two years.

That's the reasoning behind this page's single-use, preservative-free tears pick above — not a claim that single-use vials are risk-free. The Alcon Systane recall was preservative-free single-use vials too; what single-use actually removes is the reused-multi-use-bottle contamination pathway the EzriCare outbreak traced to, not risk generally.

Source: FDA Drug Safety Communication + FDA drug recall database, read 2026-07-30

  • Prescription eye drops (antibiotic and/or steroid) aren't something to shop for. Your surgeon prescribes and typically supplies these directly through the surgical practice — don't add them to an Amazon cart, and don't substitute an over-the-counter drop for a prescribed one without asking first.
  • Pause makeup, lotion, and cosmetics near your eyes — nothing to buy here. FDA, Cleveland Clinic, and UVA's handout all give a version of the same instruction, with windows ranging from 1 week to up to 2 weeks. See the full timeline for the exact ranges each source gives.
  • A note on the procedure-volume figure. The American Refractive Surgery Council — an industry trade group, not an independent body — reports more than 20 million LASIK procedures performed in the U.S. since FDA approval in 1999. That's a cumulative figure from a named physician spokesperson, not an annual count, and no independently sourced annual figure exists as of this check.

Go deeper

Two follow-up pages cover what comes up next — the coverage question, and the week-by-week recovery timeline.

Does insurance or Medicare cover LASIK?

The Medicare exclusion, cited two ways, and the IRS rule that makes the surgery FSA/HSA eligible. No affiliate links on this page.

LASIK recovery, week by week

How long the eye shield, the makeup pause, and the water restriction actually last — FDA, Cleveland Clinic, and UVA compared side by side.
This is an equipment and cost-coverage guide, not medical advice. It doesn't cover LASIK candidacy, surgical risk, or any clinical decision that should come from your surgeon — see FDA's own candidacy page for that. Follow your surgeon's discharge instructions over anything here; recovery windows vary by surgeon and technique.
See the full printable checklist — all 7 items ↓

Everything on this page, in one list — the three essentials, the situational picks, and what's prescribed or paused instead of bought. This is what prints when you use the button up top.

The full LASIK recovery checklist
ItemCategoryStatus
Preservative-free artificial tears Essential Buy
Sleep eye shield Essential Buy — often supplied free the first night or two
Wraparound UV sunglasses Essential Buy
Shower-safe eye shield (3-piece set) Depends on your situation Optional
Swim goggles (8-week window, week 2 on) Depends on your situation No specific pick — any well-fitting pair
Prescription eye drops (antibiotic + steroid) Borrow or skip Prescribed, not purchased
Makeup, lotion, cosmetics near the eyes Borrow or skip Pause — nothing to buy
The coverage story

Medicare has excluded LASIK from coverage since 1997 under National Coverage Determination 80.7 — once because it's considered a substitute for glasses or contacts (§1862(a)(7) of the Social Security Act), and again because many in the medical community consider it cosmetic surgery (§1862(a)(10)).

But the IRS names LASIK by name as a deductible medical expense in Publication 502's Eye Surgery section — the same rule that makes the surgery itself FSA- and HSA-eligible, even though Medicare and most private insurance exclude it as elective. See the full breakdown, including why that doesn't automatically extend to the recovery products above.

Source: CMS National Coverage Determination 80.7 + IRS Publication 502, both read 2026-07-30

See the full Medicare-exclusion and FSA/HSA breakdown →

This page has Amazon links — we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we recommend. See our methodology.

Sources

  1. CMS National Coverage Determination (NCD) 80.7, "Refractive Keratoplasty" — the Medicare-exclusion citation; read 2026-07-30
  2. IRS Publication 502, "Eye Surgery" section — the FSA/HSA-eligibility citation for the surgery itself; read 2026-07-30
  3. FDA, "What Should I Expect During and After Surgery" (LASIK patient program) — eye-shield, artificial-tears, and restriction-timeline citations; content current as of 07/11/2018, read 2026-07-30
  4. FDA, "LASIK Surgery Checklist" — the pre-surgery drops/medications readiness question quoted above
  5. FDA, "What Are the Risks and How Can I Find the Right Doctor for Me?" (LASIK) — light sensitivity/glare/halo and dry-eye-risk citations
  6. Cleveland Clinic, "LASIK Eye Surgery: What It Is, Procedure & Recovery" — last updated 05/26/2026; eye-shield duration and dry-eye "most common issue" citations
  7. University of Virginia Department of Ophthalmology, LASIK Post-Op Instructions (patient handout PDF) — sleep-shield, shower, and swim-goggle-timeline citations; the contact details on this PDF don't match UVA's own, because it is a shared patient-instruction template hosted on UVA's site
  8. American Academy of Ophthalmology, "Recommended Types of Sunglasses" — general sun-protection guidance, not LASIK-specific; wraparound/UV-blocking citation
  9. FDA drug recall database, read 2026-07-30 — EzriCare/Delsam Pharma and three additional Class I eye-drop recall records
  10. American Refractive Surgery Council, press releases — industry trade-association source for the 20-million cumulative procedure figure — labeled as such, not cited as an independent statistic
  11. Amazon product listings — We check each Amazon price and whether it is in stock every night. A price only shows if it was checked in the last 24 hours.
  12. Our free dataset (CC BY 4.0) — every coverage fact above in one downloadable file